Expeditions Alaska Backpacking Blog, hiking gear and photo tours

Polar Bears Playing on the Ice

October 30th, 2012 by Carl D

Hey Folks,

A week in arctic Alaska, photographing Nanuq, the magnificent polar bear? An awesome, awesome trip. I took 3 people up earlier this month for a fantastic week, where we were so lucky to get to spend time up close and personal with polar bears; literally, dozens and dozens of polar bears. US F&WS estimates there were nearly 80 bears in the area in sept/oct.

These 2 youngsters were an absolute treat to watch, as they tussled and wrestled and ran and frolicked on the ice. With a great local Alaska native (Inupiaq) guide, we were able to watch these bears for several hours; everyone came home with thousands of great polar bear photos. I grabbed this quick video when I had to stop shooting and change memory cards in one of my SLR cameras. The bears were so much fun to watch.

Next year I’ll be back for another round, leading a small photo tour for a week in the arctic, photographing the polar bears. Space is limited; I’ll keep the group to a maximum of 4 photographers and myself. I’ll have full details online this week, but the dates are scheduled for Oct. Drop me a note if this is something you’re interested in, as this trip will very likely fill quickly.

Cheers

Carl

PS: Oh, someone asked about the music track; it’s a little R&B groove I recorded (on guitar) with my friend Steve F on bass years and years ago. I found a copy of it and thought it’d be a cool track for this video. Steve sounds great on bass, as always.

It sounds better L-O-U-D, so turn your speakers up to 11.

Grizzly Bear by Moonlight

October 19th, 2012 by Carl D

A brown bear walking by the edge of a lake under a moonlit sky. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey Folks,

Slowly catching up on image processing and whatnot after a full season of adventure. This year I ran a few new trips, which I’m looking forward to continue to explore over the coming years, but also enjoyed returning to some of the old favorite haunts. This image if from the Grizzly Bears in the Fall tour, a favorite of mine and popular tour every year.

Shooting these “animals in the landscape” style of photo is always difficult, as there are so many elements to combine. They also tend to work much better when shooting solo, as it’s difficult to get a group of people, even a small group, all in exactly that optimal spot for such a composition. As such, I tend to shoot more of the tighter “portrait” style shots on photo tours, and fewer of the animal in a greater landscape.

That said, I tend to really enjoy the wider image; my preference for wildlife photography is either to go extremely tight on framing the subject, or very wide. One of the folks on the trip shot this frame with about 16mm (I was at 28mm), and I really like this version; very sparse.

Camping on the Malaspina Glacier

September 19th, 2012 by Carl D

Hey Folks

This past August, we just did an EPIC traverse across the Malaspina Glacier. Our original plan had been to fly from Yakutat to the Samovar Hills, and hike south. Due to the insane amount of snow in the area last winter (Yakutat got 350-360 inches), we weren’t able to land at the strip we’d hoped to fly into. A last minute change of plan meant flying to Kageet Point, Icy Bay, and hiking east from there, before picking up the original route, and following it south to the coastline, then east again to our intended pickup spot. This added about 35-40 miles to our route, but with an adventurous and experienced group of folks, it was worth it.

We spent 5 of the 9 nights on the ice of the Malaspina Glacier; the Malaspina is the size of Rhode Island, over 40 miles and nearly 30 miles long. Contrary to what wikipedia might tell you about the glacier, it DOES reach the coast, and so should rightfully be called a tidewater glacier, not a piedmont glacier. We packrafted around the lagoon the ice calves into on the beach, and it’s most definitely coastal.

Camping on ice has its challenges. Finding a nice flat spot can be tough, but especially finding a nice flat spot with enough rocks around to use for holding the tent/tarp in place. Sometimes we’d find wonderful, long flat stretches of ice, perfect for tentsites, but not a rock in sight. You can’t drive tent stakes into ice (unless you carry ice screws, of course -major overkill for a tent). But usually it didn’t take too long to find a good spot.

Secondly, insulation. A regular sleeping pad just doesn’t cut it. I used an Exped Downmat 7 UL, and it was great. Warm, comfortable, and not too heavy.

Other choices include using 2 pads, one hard-cell foam pad like a z-rest or similar underneath an inflatable Neo Air or thermarest pad. Sergei used the Exped Downmat 9, which was easily the best (most comfortable and warm) choice. A deflated packraft under the tent all offered some protection from the ice underneath.

Overall, it was a grand backpacking trip. The weather wasn’t too bad at all, which made a great difference. Camping on an expanse of ice like that for a week, with no real wind or rain to deal with, made the trip a lot of fun. A great group of folks, 4 of which have now done 4 or more different backpacking trips with me, and some world class adventure. Good, good times.

Cheers

Carl

Brown bear photos – Hallo Bay

June 29th, 2012 by Carl D

An adult brown bear (Ursus arctos) resting on driftwood near the beach at Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey Folks,

Just returned from a brown bear photo tour over to Katmai National Park, where we photographed brown bears at Hallo Bay and Kukak Bay; we were super lucky to get some great light, great bears, and some really cool photo opportunities. This young bear was hanging around a pile of driftwood in Hallo Bay, and the rich greens of the sedge grasses beyond made a nice soft background.

It took a little bit of work to scramble around over these logs and whatnot, carrying over 20lbs of camera gear, to get in a good position for photography, but I think it was well worth it.

Photography Tip

Make the Effort to Move

Oftentimes making the effort to move and get in position is the real difference between making a photo, and making the photo you want. It could be the direction of light, the background, the angle of view, proximity to the subject, or a combination of countless other variables that really makes the difference.

It’s far too easy to hike a bit, set up a tripod, point the camera at a subject, then try to zoom in or out, without moving and improving the image. The best advice I might offer is to continually be looking for ways to improve the image you see through the viewfinder.

Sometimes it’s simply not possible or practical to change it much; safety or disturbing the subject, or other photographers in the area all might restrict where we set up and how much we move. But keep your eyes posted around you, and look for ways to improve your image simply by moving your position. You’ll be glad you did.

And when photographing bees, we definitely recommend you carry bear spray in the field.

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) breeding (or mating) at Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Image of the month for this month is this photo of a breeding brown bear pair at Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, on the coastal brown bear photo tour last week.

It was an amazing trip, with some great photo opportunities, perhaps the highlight of which was this breeding pair we found at Hallo Bay.

Twice we were able to watch and photograph this behavior, which was definitely a rare opportunity.

Females will often breed with more than one male during the short (2 month) breeding or mating season. We watched minutes earlier as this sow rejected the advances of another, much larger male, who then chased this male away, then himself walked off up the bay. This smaller male returned, and bred with the sow for 15-20 minutes.

The larger male then returned, and this guy left. The larger male hung around the sow for another hour or so, but didn’t have the good fortune of this guy, that we saw.

Cheers

Carl

Complete Hiking Guide Gates Of The Arctic National Park

May 15th, 2012 by Carl D

Gates of the Arctic hiking trips information Camping in the boreal forest in the Brooks Range, near the Arrigetch peaks. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska. — *Camping in the boreal forest in the Brooks Range, near the Arrigetch peaks. Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska.*

Hey Folks,

Well, it’s well and truly spring here in Alaska, and the summer/fall hiking season right around the corner. So for anyone heading north this summer, this page might be of interest to you. Gates of the Arctic National Park is one of the less visited national parks in the state, which makes it a great place to explore and “get away”. Miles upon miles of mountain wilderness, boreal forest and alpine tundra make it a diverse and fascinating hiking region.

At the same time, it’s also a challenging expedition. Logistics for getting there, getting ‘in’ to the park, hiking across muskeg, dealing with mosquitoes, bears, rivers, and trail-less terrain can be intimidating. So let’s look at a few options you might want to consider.

Getting to Gates of the Arctic

You’re options for hiking in Gates of the Arctic National Park, for most folks, start with Fairbanks. You want to head north, either up the Dalton highway (Haul Rd), or fly.

Dawn in the Wrangell Mountains

April 7th, 2012 by Carl D

The Wrangell Mountains dawn, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. — The Wrangell mountains, near Nabesna, catch the first rays of the day. Sunrise near Jack Creek, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Welcome to Expeditions Alaska. I’ve thought for a long time now about changing the name, so here it is. I’ve still got a few things to tweak over the coming weeks, so if you run across any glitches, please let me know.

This image was taken early one morning on the recent snowshoe/photography trip we took to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The folks who were drawn for the trip, Paul, Doug, Ryan and Jim were great fun, and it was really nice to have such a good troop of folks along.

We were treated to some awesome weather the whole time, which made the trip an easy time, for sure. Sunny skies and very little wind can make March a good time in Alaska.

We snowshoed, no skiing, as the group preferred to hike and photograph rather than ski around. I’ll try to post some more images from the trip soon enough. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one from one great morning out near Nabesna.

Oh yes, one more thing to add; I’ll throw up this photo in honor of Anchorage breaking its own record for most snow in a winter. Happened today – Wax ’em up!

Cheers

Carl

Expeditions Alaska

Pebble Mine and Protecting Pebble Creek

January 20th, 2012 by Carl D

Hey Folks,

Many of you may or may not be aware of this critical issue. A proposed open-pit mine in Alaska, in the heart of the Bristol Bay watershed, potentially threatens some of the wildest and vital land in Alaska. The salmon fishery of Bristol Bay is one of the world’s most productive fisheries. It is also the pulse of a vibrant and productive ecosystem that’s home to the great coastal brown bears of Katmai National Park and surrounding regions. The bears we love to see and photograph grow fat on the riches of spawning salmon. The bald eagles that gather in the thousands every summer here thrive on spawning salmon.

The proposed mine, the Pebble Limited Partnership, would create a “10-square-mile-wide containment pond are intended to hold between 2.5 billion and 10 billion tons of mine waste that Pebble would produce over its lifetime”, a 700′ tall dam wall and several miles in length. One of the largest mines in the world, it’s expected to span a 20 mile swathe of Alaska State land. The acidic nature of the waste would require environmental treatment and monitoring for years to come. The potential devastation if something goes awry here, in the land of frequent volcanic and seismic activity, would be immeasurable.

Brown bear photography

January 15th, 2012 by Carl D

A male brown bear, Ursus arctos, approaches up river, fishing for spawning sockeye salmon, Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Please click on the image above to view a larger version of this photo.

Hey Folks,

I thought I’d post another image from our Katmai brown bear photo tour last fall.

I’ve shot this bear for so many years now; it’s awesome to go back and revisit these bears year to year, particularly the bears that are so great to photograph as this one.

[Update: It’s now 2025 and we photographed him yet again this past fall. Too cool to see this be around for so long. He’s nearly 20 now.]

A Growing Bear

When I first started photographing this bear, he was a young subadult, just out on his own. He’s nearly doubled in size over the last few years, and now is a good size bear, though still has a number of pounds to gain before he reaches his full size.

Bears & Personality

One thing that becomes so readily apparent when photographing bears is how truly individual they are. They can be as different from one to another as we are. Some bears will walk right on by, fishing and wandering the river, with little more than a sideways glance at us, while others wont’ come close at all, and seem to always keep an eye on people around the area.

How to Operate Around Bears

This means a lot when it comes to things like how to act in bear country.

Context is Everything

It means the generalized ‘protocols’ that we read about and hear are, while valuable, not set in stone. It’s more important to pay attention to the bear.

Closely watch the bear’s signals. This is more helpful than thinking about some line in a book at that said “In situation A, you should do B”.

Hard and fast rules rarely hold true, but never more so, perhaps, than when dealing with 1000lb+ predators.

Free Wrangell-St. Elias winter ski/photography trip

December 23rd, 2011 by Carl D

Snowshoeing in winter in the boreal forest of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.

A Holiday Season Special – Spring Equinox Celebration

Please note: – 10:00pm Jan 17th; entries are now closed. The drawing takes place the morning of the 18th – see below for details!!!

OK, this one is so simple it’s ridiculous.

In the best of the holiday spirit, here’s what I’m doing. I’m offering a free trip to Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. This offer is open to any who who think they’d enjoy a trip like this. The more people that enter, the more people will win.

If fewer than 250 people enter, I’ll give away a trip for free to 2 people. If I get more than 250 people enter, I’ll give away 4 free spots on the trip.

Wrangell – St. Elias National Park. 6 nights in a backcountry cabin; days spent snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and/or hiking, enjoying some winter landscape photography, possible northern lights photography and the quietest, peaceful-est cabin you never been to. Here’s what you need to know.

The Trip

We leave Anchorage, drive 5 hours to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. 5 nights in the cabin, March 18-23, and return to Anchorage on March 24. During the day, we can either snowshoe, cross country ski, or, depending on weather and snow conditions, hike.

We’ll have the van nearby so we can easily saunter down to the van, drive 10 miles down the road, snowshoe all day, drive back to the cabin and enjoy the comfort of a wood stove, hot food and a quiet like no other. Next day, we can do the same in the other direction.

The exploratory opportunities are literally endless here. Winter landscape photography opportunities abound. This is a massive landscape; Mt Sanford rises over 16 000′ right out the window. It’s also an intimate boreal forest, for some great shooting opportunities. There’s a decent chance of seeing moose in the area, and possibly caribou. The northern lights are a strong possibility; displays are typically strongest and most active right around the Equinox, so this timing is optimal for great northern lights viewing/photography. There are never any guarantees with the aurora, of course.

Price: ~~Normally $1400.00 per person,~~ this year 2, or possibly 4 people get to come out for free.

Dates: March 18-23, 2012

My holiday gift and thank you to everyone who’s supported what I do.

Requirements to enter

Why Hiking Poles Are Essential for Alaska Backpacking

December 5th, 2011 by Carl D

Backpacker with Hiking Pole, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. — *Hiker backpacking with hiking pole, Seven Pass route, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska.*

Hey Folks,

One question I’m frequently asked pertains to hiking poles and how important they are for backpacking here in Alaska.

In short, I’d suggest they’re more than useful – almost mandatory.

Of course, few things in the mountains are ever so objective. What’s right for me might not be right for you, and what’s right on August 15 might not be right on August 16 (or even 3 hours later on August 15). But as a general rule, I’d urge anyone coming to Alaska to backpack, particularly someone on their first trip here, to count on using hiking poles.

I can’t recommend them enough. I use one pole – a Black Diamond Alpine pole – with the flip lock design and carbide tip. I’ve had for more years than I care to think about. I bring it every time I’m backpacking in Alaska. Every time. Most folks use two, and that’s probably a sound way to go. Two is probably a good call. One is what works for me.

The Real Challenge: Sidehilling

Jon, pictured above, is a great hiker. In super shape, athletic, well-balanced – safe to say he’s a much better hiker than the average backpacker. Much better. He cruised the Bremner Mines to Tebay Lakes route with virtually no trouble at all, and that’s a tough walk by almost anyone’s metrics. Even Jon mentioned how useful the hiking poles were for him on this trip.

Featured

Photo Tours

What We Do

Where We Go

Portfolios

Tours

Polar Bears Playing on the Ice

Grizzly Bear by Moonlight

Camping on the Malaspina Glacier

Brown bear photos – Hallo Bay

Photography Tip

Make the Effort to Move

Complete Hiking Guide Gates Of The Arctic National Park

Getting to Gates of the Arctic

Dawn in the Wrangell Mountains

Pebble Mine and Protecting Pebble Creek

Brown bear photography

A Growing Bear

Bears & Personality

How to Operate Around Bears

Context is Everything

Free Wrangell-St. Elias winter ski/photography trip

A Holiday Season Special – Spring Equinox Celebration

The Trip

Requirements to enter

Why Hiking Poles Are Essential for Alaska Backpacking

The Real Challenge: Sidehilling